Fab Photos Friday: the Colorful and Necessary Parrot Fish!

The Mesoamerican Reef in Mexico is curiously short of Parrot Fish…necessary for eating algae so corals aren’t smothered! Algae is a true enemy of coral reefs, and the Parrot Fish is essential to keep it in check. Besides, they are quite colorful and engaging fish!

• Parrot fish come in every size and color you can think of! Blues, oranges, reds, blacks, whites, greens….it goes on and on.
• They have a lot of tiny teeth, necessary for cleaning the reef. Parrots live on the reefs, or the sea bed grasses.

• There are over 90 species of Parrot Fish!

• Parrot Fish are born female but can change sex several times during their life spans…the genders of the fish are kept in balance by this amazing ability.

• Their beaklike mouth has sharp teeth which pulverize rocky coral areas while they feed on algae. By pulverizing the little rocks they break off, they create sand for the reef.

• Parrot Fish hide at night and cover themselves with mucus to hide from their predators.

• Some types of parrot fish form large shoals, or “schools”.

• They mate and spawn in shallow water, and baby Parrot fish are often found in the shallows of the reef system.
• People should not take Parrot Fish from the water, they are needed for the health of the reef. Most “eating” fish are found in deep water.

It is quite fun to watch the larger Parrot Fish smashing the coral…you can hear it underwater!